Configuration Model and Case Study for the Assessment of Business Models in the Deployment of Power-to-Gas Technology

The purpose of this dissertation is to cover a holistic economic analysis of the Power-to-Gas (PtG) technology. This technology is converting electric energy, for example from renewable energy (RE) production, to hydrogen and further to synthetic natural gas (SNG), which can be used for various applications. Besides PtG, different types of converting technologies exist like Power-to-Liquid (PtL) or Power-to-Heat (PtH). This dissertation focuses on the coupling of existing infrastructures (electricity and natural gas grid in Germany) and, therefore, concentrates on the PtG technology, which offers the possibility to link both infrastructures. The analysis is shedding light on the eco-nomic potential of the PtG technology from different perspectives. A general business model (BM) is constructed, applied on different scenarios, and tested in a single case study. PtG can play a major role in the future RE system and this thesis develops a basic framework for economic considerations.
The basis for this research is a top-down design science research approach. First, an inquiry obtains the main parameters influencing the economics of the PtG technology and their interrelations by performing a system analysis. Second, a general BM is de-rived from these parameters following the technology-driven school of business model innovations. In this context, a detailed technology investigation is done based on an literature review, market analyses, and industrial surveys to identify quantitative data along the value chain and network of the PtG technology. Third, the general BM is tested by different calculations in theory and a single case study of an operating plant in practice. Finally, a potential technology pathway with political recommendations is drawn. Due to the nested and complex technology inspection mixed methods are cho-sen as research tools.
As a result, around 100,000 different scenarios can be designed with the constructed general BM due to various setting options, such as plant constructions (45), power purchase concepts (20), CO2 sources (8), target markets (4) and more. Out of those, 19 selected scenarios are calculated in detail to test the general model and to achieve further insights about the PtG technology. Innovative power purchase concepts are developed, analyzed, and partly tested in practice. Due to many fluctuating economic parameters, a Monte Carlo simulation with multivariate bootstrapping is used to high-light the distribution of the financial performance. In the single case study first practical experiences and economic results of an operating, industrial scale plant are published.

The purpose of this dissertation is to cover a holistic economic analysis of the Power-to-Gas (PtG) technology. This technology is converting electric energy, for example from renewable energy (RE) production, to hydrogen and further to synthetic natural gas (SNG), which can be used for various applications. Besides PtG, different types of converting technologies exist like Power-to-Liquid (PtL) or Power-to-Heat (PtH). This dissertation focuses on the coupling of existing infrastructures (electricity and natural gas grid in Germany) and, therefore, concentrates on the PtG technology, which offers the possibility to link both infrastructures. The analysis is shedding light on the eco-nomic potential of the PtG technology from different perspectives. A general business model (BM) is constructed, applied on different scenarios, and tested in a single case study. PtG can play a major role in the future RE system and this thesis develops a basic framework for economic considerations.
The basis for this research is a top-down design science research approach. First, an inquiry obtains the main parameters influencing the economics of the PtG technology and their interrelations by performing a system analysis. Second, a general BM is de-rived from these parameters following the technology-driven school of business model innovations. In this context, a detailed technology investigation is done based on an literature review, market analyses, and industrial surveys to identify quantitative data along the value chain and network of the PtG technology. Third, the general BM is tested by different calculations in theory and a single case study of an operating plant in practice. Finally, a potential technology pathway with political recommendations is drawn. Due to the nested and complex technology inspection mixed methods are cho-sen as research tools.
As a result, around 100,000 different scenarios can be designed with the constructed general BM due to various setting options, such as plant constructions (45), power purchase concepts (20), CO2 sources (8), target markets (4) and more. Out of those, 19 selected scenarios are calculated in detail to test the general model and to achieve further insights about the PtG technology. Innovative power purchase concepts are developed, analyzed, and partly tested in practice. Due to many fluctuating economic parameters, a Monte Carlo simulation with multivariate bootstrapping is used to high-light the distribution of the financial performance. In the single case study first practical experiences and economic results of an operating, industrial scale plant are published.